Water
Quality for Small Acreage's

We
go to the kitchen sink, turn on the faucet, and expect to get a readily
supply of clean, clear water. After all, this is America and things
are supposed to be of proper standards. Correct? Read on.

Watersheds
and how they Work

How
did the water get in your well anyway? Your water comes from a watershed.
A watershed is simply all the land that drains to a specific point
surrounded by a ridge top. In route to your well, water can pick up
debris (various organic matter that provides a healthy food source
for bacteria and other unwanted aquatic life which might arrive in
your well), motor oil, pesticides, and other pollutants.

A watershed
provides three functions:

1.
It captures water mainly through rainfall or snowmelt and allows
the water to enter the soil at various depths. When land is covered
with pavement, concrete, buildings, and the like, infiltration is
hindered. Water will also "wash-off" the pavement picking up oil and
other pollutants, and eventually allowing those agents to enter the
soil to the groundwater.

2.
It stores water by allowing the water to infiltrate the soil
where it is stored (at various depths) in the earth. It then can be
pumped out for various uses one of which being for human consumption.

3.
It releases water through springs, wetlands, and floodplains
into lakes and streams.

How
healthy is your Water?

Household
or domestic wells can appear to be that long-desired, private, clean,
clear, water source every American deserves. However, this often is
not the case. Water is often polluted and not healthy to drink. Unhealthy
water can be clean, clear, and taste great.

So,
how healthy is the water in your well? Pollution can arrive at your
well either through point source pollution (pollution from one source
such as a feed lot or factory pipe outlet) or non-point pollution
(pollution from several sources such as over fertilized lawns, streams,
and roads). Private water sources on small acreage's in rural Colorado
usually consist of a well, which can be shallow or deep, and can exist
in a vast array of situations. Some wells may exist near livestock
pens, cropland, or in a variety of other situations.

As
you can probably guess, the quality of water in your well can be determined
through a water test. Once the water quality is determined, steps
can then be taken to remedy any bacteria problems or other "unwanted"
foreign residents.

Bacteria
are not necessarily in your well at life threatening levels. However,
a simple water test can provide the information necessary to determine
whether your water needs to be treated.

Household
Hazardous Waste Management

Small
amounts of household chemicals such as furniture polish, paints, stains
and drain cleaners, when concentrated in a small area can contaminate
your underground water supply. Also, petroleum products, antifreeze
or lead acid batteries can reach your underground water supply. What
about pesticides that you use around your yard? They can also contaminate
your drinking water. A simple rule is to stay back a minimum of 150
ft. from your water well.

Fertilizer
Management

Let’s
address the concern of over fertilization of your yard. Always do
a soil test. Apply fertilizer only if you detect a deficiency of a
particular nutrient. Develop a fertilizer management plan and store
your products in a safe place. When taken, all of these steps will
prevent contamination of your water well from misuse of your fertilizer.

Pesticide
Management

Develop
storage areas for your pesticide containers and follow label directions.
Stay at least 150 feet back of your well when mixing pesticides. Use
an anti-siphoning device on your hydrant and never rinse out your
sprayer tank near your well. These are just some of the things to
do to prevent contamination of your drinking well.

Septic
Tank Management

There
are several potential contaminants in household wastewater that you
need to be aware of. They can include disease-causing bacteria, infection
viruses, household chemicals and nutrients such as nitrogen. You need
to know the exact location of your septic tank system and have it
tested once every three years. Never dispose of hazardous household
chemicals down your drain. Determine where these materials can safely
be recycled and disposed of.

Livestock
Management

You
should always keep any livestock at least 150 feet away from your
well. Any manure should also be kept 250 feet away. Where do you dispose
of your dead livestock? Develop a manure management plan to address
these issues and protect your underground water supply.

Disinfecting
Your Private Well

Through
the simple water quality test, you might find your water is fantastic
and nothing short of your long awaited rural lifestyle water quality
dreams. On the other hand, you may find harmful levels of bacteria
and other unwanted microscopic life that can make your water harmful
for various uses.

Drinking
water needs to be free from viable disease-causing bacteria, viruses,
cysts, and worms, - all which are microscopic or smaller. Public water
systems have elaborate and expensive facilities to control these pathogens.
Private water systems rarely have such water quality treatment facilities.

Wells
can all too frequently be subjected to bacteria, pathogens, or other
unwanted pathogens.

Shallow
wells, particularly old wells with unsealed linings of rock or
stone can easily be polluted.

Deep
wells of broken limestone with shallow soil cover can also be
in jeopardy.

Old
wells probably were not constructed properly and readily allow
pollutants to enter.

Water
from the best-protected water sources can be polluted through any
given set of situations. Installing a filter in your water line is
a good idea but will not clean certain contaminants from your water
source. Some unwanted pollution can be filtered, and should be, but
a filter simply cannot catch all those things we do not want in our
water. Some commercials are written very well, but regardless of how
wonderful the filter is said to work, filters cannot and do not filter
out all bacteria and pathogens in water. Some things simply cannot
be filtered.

Disinfecting
Methods

Depending
on what is in your water that you want out, various methods of varying
expenses exist to get your water quality to a healthy standard.

1. Chlorination

This
is the oldest method and probably is the most common. Chlorine is
a strong oxidizing agent. It is also cheap, reliable, easy to use
and monitor, and is safe. Chlorine may be injected into the water
supply for continuous disinfecting or added to a water volume for
a one-time bacteria treatment procedure. Some drawbacks of using chlorine
are:

It
requires time to react and organisms vary in their resistance
to the agent.

Bacteria,
as a rule are relatively easy to kill and viruses are more difficult.
Cysts and worms are relatively unaffected by chlorine.

Chlorine,
reacting with organic matter, may produce an ingredient that is
a known carcinogen.

The
time required for chlorine to disinfect the water varies with the
water temperature and acidity and with the concentration of chlorine
being used.

Chlorine
is very useful for sanitizing a water supply. A relatively strong
chlorine solution of 200 PPM is recommended for sanitizing new wells
and water systems or whenever a water system or well is opened or
may have been contaminated.

2. Ultraviolet Radiation

Ultraviolet
(UV) light has long been known to be able to kill germs. However,
this technique in private water systems is quite new. The device is
rather simple. The most common design consists of a small cylindrical
tank with a cylindrical mercury arc lamp located along the centerline.
Water enters one end, flows through the annular space between the
lamp and the other cylinder, and exits from the other end within a
few seconds. One drawback is that solids in the water easily absorb
UV light and thus should only be performed on clear water.

3. Ozone Treatment

Ozone,
like chlorine, is a strong oxidizing agent. Ozone is unstable and
cannot be transported and placed in the water system. It must be produced
at the place where it is to be used. An electrical corona discharge
or ultraviolet irradiation of dry air or oxygen produces ozone.

Home
devices installed in the plumbing system of a house are simple, where
raw water enters one end of the device, travels to the point where
ozone is produced, and exits as a mixture of ozone and water. Like
chlorine, ozone may not kill cysts and some other large organisms.
These possibly can be eliminated by filtration.

4. Pasteurization

This
has long been practiced for emergency treatment of water. Boiling
the water for three to five minutes completes this process. Home pasteurization
devices are available.

The
benefits to this process are very favorable to many, especially those
of today’s health-conscious league.

Nothing
is added to the water in the process.

Cysts
and worms, which are relatively unaffected by other methods, are
easily killed with the heat.

No
residual is produced and left in the water to be taken internally.

No
contamination is created which will require further treatment.

Years
ago, before our world was so totally automated; man and woman did
not have to worry about pollutants secretly entering "our world".
But today, houses are closer together, feed lots are popular, and
one car garages just don’t work anymore, - try three or four cars!
Our world is just more concentrated with lots of things that make
up civilization. These things all can contribute to water quality.
Constant and regular attention of your domestic water supply is crucial
and starts with a simple water test.

Additional
Information

USDA
Natural Resources Conservation Services

Brighton,
CO 303-659-7004

Greeley,
CO 970-356-6506

Byers,
CO 303-822-5242

Colorado
State University Extension Service

Henderson,
CO 303-637-8100

Greeley,
CO 970-356-4000

Littleton,
CO 303-730-1920

National
Home*A*Syst Workbook available through NRAES 607-255-7654

Colorado
Department of Health and Environment Water Quality Control Division
303-692-3500